Awabakal people of the Awabakal Nation
NSW Regional
Regional
Carlton Street Terrace is a sensitive transformation of a Victorian terrace (c.1860) in Newcastle’s Hill Heritage Conservation Area. Set on a steep 99 m² site, the project reimagines a once-compromised house — fragmented by decades of unsympathetic alterations — into a cohesive, contemporary home that honours its historic fabric. Unsympathetic additions were stripped away, revealing the original form and allowing space for a restrained new pavilion linked by a glazed connection. The design clarifies circulation, introduces light-filled, flexible spaces, and forges stronger connections to garden, street, and landscape. Integrated timber joinery, tactile finishes, and moments of delight enrich daily life, while generous indoor–outdoor living areas support entertaining and relaxed living. Carefully scaled and contextual, the new architecture amplifies rather than competes with the heritage structure. The result is a thoughtful response to a complex urban site, demonstrating how contemporary design can engage meaningfully within a historic streetscape.
On a narrow, steep inner-city terrace site, Olivia transformed a closed, dark 1860s house into our expansive, joyful home. Extending to the boundaries while echoing the street’s heritage, the addition settles softly and sympathetically. She fused my love of modernism with Sarah’s boho spirit into a warm, cohesive ‘boho chic’ haven. Maximising light, storage and our northerly aspect, the spaces flow effortlessly for living and entertaining. Blending old and new, inside and out, it keeps us connected to Newy while offering retreat
Client perspective